I Swear Allegiance
by viranne
Summary: AU – Harry has grown up in a world where the battle against Voldemort rages on, but he has his loving family and friends. Now he is asked to give them all up to fulfill a prophency spoken before he was born. Harry must join the Dark Lord.
1. A year of different expectations

Harry Potter, aged 14, leans against the window onboard the Hogwarts Express as the train speeds by the English countryside. He is looking forward to starting his 4th year at Hogwarts, but he is already missing the days of his summer vacation.

When he said good-bye to his parents on platform 9 3/4 just a few hours ago, his Mom's eyes turned misty as she tried to accept that this year when she returns home from the train station, for the first time since Harry was born, their house will be completely emptied of the sounds of children laughing.

This is because she is here. Harry looks across at the young scarlet haired girl sitting across from him, twisting back and forth on her seat, switching her attention between looking out the window and the bustling of activities in the corridor outside their train compartment. His sister was starting her first year at Hogwarts.

Harry smiles as he looks at the eagerness and excitement that shone in her bright green eyes. When he thinks about the passing summer, he knows what he'll miss the most were those evenings when he and she would flop down on the grass in their backyard after dinner. Most nights it was just the two siblings, but sometimes when their parents were not busy, they would join them, and the four of them as a family would watch the changing colours of the sky as the sun fell west, until the gleaming stars of the night came.

They talked about everything as they looked at the vastness of the sky that blanked their little cottage in Godric's Hollow. The latest Quidditch match. Their Dad's day at the Ministry office. Their Mom's work at Gringotts. The interesting things they heard on the muggle radio that day. The small spells that Julianne had successfully or not so successfully performed that day. And from time to time, they would talk about Voldemort. They would recall their memories of close family and friends, as well as acquaintances that they met briefly; lives that had been lost in the years of struggle between Light and Dark. His Mom told them it was important to remember them. That they stood bravely before the power of Voldemort, and even though they did not defeat him this time, one day, some one who stands against him will. His Dad said that this is what he and Julianne must do if ever one day, they had to face Voldemort; Stand strong, stand brave, do not be afraid.

He loves his family and he knows he will be missing his parents a lot this year.

But Harry was going to have a good year in school. He has missed being able to talk and spend time with his best friends over the summer. Even though they kept in touch with owls, traveling to actually meet them was made impossible by the surge in Death Eaters attack this summer. In the first week of June, the Death Eaters launched an attack in Diagon Alley. Ten dead before the Aurors arrived, and dozens others were left injured. Floo networks were closed, security was tightened, and children were advised to stay within the protection wards of their own home.

The attacks by Voldemort and his Death Eaters have been persistent for more than twenty years. Neither side giving up, neither is tipping the scale to the other. But the attack at Diagon Alley had been the most deadly incident in at least the last five years, and Harry could tell even his parents were concerned that perhaps the balanced scale would not remain so for long.

They will be safe at Hogwarts though. Safe with the Headmaster, the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared, and their teachers, undeniably a group of some of the strongest magic users in the wizarding world. They will be safe to enjoy their school days, thriving in their house rivalries, playing Quidditch, attending class, and able to enjoy their days sheltered from the battle that rages on beyond the castle's boundaries.

After two months, Harry has missed spending time with his best friends. Though, as he glances at the red haired boy and the brown bushy haired girl on the two seats to his left, he is not sure how much longer he will be able to play the buffer between them. At the moment, Ron and Hermione were once again absorbed in a highly charged argument that neither particularly cared about except for the sake of defeating the other. Harry sighs silently and then glances at Julianne again.

She doesn't seem to be aware of Ron and Hermione's argument, but continues to turn her head back and forth from the view outside and the students passing along the train corridors. She feels her brother's eyes on her, and she turns to face him. She gives him a bright smile. Harry smiles warmly back. He hopes that she will be sorted into Gryffindor. He tells people he just wants to fulfill his duty as an older brother properly, which would be made much easier if they were in the same house. The truth is, to have her so close in the castle but yet be divided by the school houses, he knows he will just end up missing his younger sister more than when he was the only Potter at Hogwarts. Harry laughs silently to himself. He really doesn't need to worry. His parents were in Gryffindor, he is in Gryffindor, and judging by what he knows of his sister, she will be in Gryffindor too.

Harry turns back to the look out the window. This is going to be a great year. He can't wait to arrive at Hogwarts.

* * *

Distances away, in an old castle that was hidden from view with some of magic's most powerful wards and charms, a tall aged fellow with a long gray silver beard stood by a window, also staring out at the British countryside. But his anticipations and feelings about the upcoming school year are drastically different from the hopes and optimism of the young 14-year-old boy sitting on a train. 

There is no twinkling in his eyes. No merriment. Instead, they look burdened with heavy pain and worry.

This is the year that he must do it.

He was much too young when he first arrived at Hogwarts. He was still too young in his second year. When the boy was in his third year, he contemplated that perhaps it was time, but then he looked into the emerald eyes of a boy who was barely a teenager, and he told himself that he must wait. Not yet. Not a good time.

Just one more year. He wanted to give the boy just one more year of having no greater worries than what to eat for dinner, the next potions assignment, or who was going to win the House Cup.

But he knows that there will never be a good time. There will never be a good time to ask a young boy, or any person for that fact, to accept such responsibilities. But the consequences of not asking for the boy's ultimate sacrifice, were thousands, hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of lives.

Darkness arrives before the tall fellow moves from his position by the window. He has seen the smoke and he knows the train has arrived at Hogsmeade. He will be here soon. And he will soon have his whole live taken away. And it was he, Albus Dumbledore, who will have to commit this great crime against the young Harry Potter.


	2. An Assigned Task

The rest of the table bursts into laughter as Fred and George continue their story of the little prank they pulled on their Mom during a formal dinner.

"…and finally when Mom stops screeching…"

"…and is able to stop the forks and knives from dancing the tango…"

"…the plates jump up to start performing the pirouette…"

"…while the glasses start the waltz…"

"…all the while the Minister of Magic thinks it's bloody brilliant…"

"…and Dad is trying his best not to laugh out loud…"

"…though Percy was completely livid and his face turned more red than our hair.."

"…I think even Mom would have start smiling a bit then…"

"…if the charm didn't suddenly wear off…"

"…just as everyone's soup bowl was twirling over our heads…"

"…it was bloody good charm work until then…"

"…Professor Flitwick would have been so proud…"

"… and even though we pointed out none of the other food was spilled in the dancing…"

"…after all, it's not like us to waste good food…"

" …the Minister of Magic being covered in butternut squash soup was enough…"

"…for the two of us to be grounded for the whole summer…"

"…as well receiving the yelling of a life time…"

"…and the task of polishing all our china without magic…"

"…our china and the china sets of every other Weasley in the county…"

"…and believe me, there are a lot of us…"

"…and lots and lots of plates and silver…"

"…but I swear, the other day, I heard Mum humming in the kitchen…"

"…the tune that we played on the record player when the china spectacle began…"

"…and then I saw her place a charm on the spoons to do waltz while she cleaned…"

Harry and Ron laugh out loud with the twins and other Gryffindors. Sitting beside him, Harry sees the corners of Hermione's mouth twitching as she tries hard to contain her amusement. He knows she would be laughing out loud too if she wasn't so concerned that surely some Ministry rules were broken when soup was poured over Minister of Magic's head.

Suddenly a hush falls over the tables as the doors of the Great Hall opens. The seated students lean forward and back to try and catch a glimpse of the small heads that trail after the imposing march of Professor McGonogall.

Harry sees his sister in the crowd of first years. When their eyes meet, he gives her a quick thumbs up. The eagerness that was in her eyes while on the train still shone brightly, but now there was also a tint of nervousness. Following family tradition, Harry did not reveal to his sister what exactly the sorting entitled. He remembers the summer before he started school, his Dad and Mum's friends told tall tales of the impossible tasks that he must perform upon his arrival at Hogwarts. His 11-year-old self laughed bravely in front of the adults when he heard those tales, so the adults never knew that their small jokes were causing nightmares for the young boy. One of Sirius' tale, the one involving a troll and the Giant Squid taking turns to fling first years into four different directions to sort them, gave young Harry nightmares for a week.

Slowly McGonogall draws out her list of the first-years to call out their names for sorting. After the first student is successfully sorted, he can see the rest breathing a big sigh of relief as they realize all they have to do is put a hat on their heads. The nervousness removed from her eyes, Julianne is now anxiously shifting back and forth on her feet wanting to try the hat on.

Gryffindor.

Hufflepuff.

Slytherin.

Ravenclaw.

So the Hat shouts as the first few students are sorted into one of the Hogwart's four school houses. Then Harry finally hears her name being called.

"Julianne Potter"

A few heads from the other tables take notice of the Potter name, particularly members of other house Quidditch teams. They know Harry Potter best as the Gryffindor seeker. When he was invited to join the Gryffindor team in his first year, he became the youngest player at Hogwarts in over a century. Since then, and quite unfortunate for them, Harry has been unbeatable. He has caught the snitch in every game to help his team win, twice so quickly that neither side had even scored a single point. Needless to say, Gryffindor has won the Quidditch Cup for the past three years in a row. Now hearing another Potter name, some of them shudder to think they may have another Potter player to contend with on the pitch this year. They cross their fingers underneath the table and hope she does not have the Quidditch gene, or if she does, at least let her join their house.

Harry takes no notice of the alarm in his Quidditch opponents' eyes. Despite his earlier confidence that she will join his house, as he watches his younger sister bounce up the three steps to sit on the stool, he also feels compelled to cross his fingers underneath the table.

_Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor_.

"Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat shouts to the rest of the school.

The Gryffindor table erupts into cheers as Julianne Potter, now grinning from ear to ear, rushes down to join the rest of the new Gryffindor first years at the end of the table. She takes a quick peek at her older brother and waves to him. Harry grins back. As much as he wants to do it himself, he will let her write to their parents tonight to give them the good news that once again, another Potter has become a Gryffindor.

The sorting draws to a close, and the Headmaster raises his goblet to welcome back the students before proceeding with school announcements. While the Headmaster introduces two new teachers, Harry's attention is distracted by the twin's demonstration on the musicality of silverware, but he manages to catch the annual warnings against breaking certain important school rules: do not enter the Forbidden Forest, do not get caught out of bed after lights out, and do not feed dairy products to the Giant Squid. With official business taken care of, the feast begins.

As the students dive into the platters of food that have appeared, Harry finally takes a chance to look around the Great Hall. Since he arrived, he has been so busy catching up with his friends and being anxious about his sister's sorting that he did not really spend any time to look around at everyone else.

He saw familiar faces at the other tables and threw a quick wave at some friends from other houses. He sadly notices that there are at least three faces missing from the other tables. Two students who were caught in the Diagon Alley attack in the beginning of the summer, and a third student was caught in an attack abroad.

He glances up at the staff table. The two newly introduced professor sat on the far side of the table. Harry wasn't paying well enough attention earlier to catch their names, but he is quite sure the Headmaster indicated that the one sitting on the far left is the new History of Magic Professor. Then it must be the other new face is the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. That is a good position to apparently move on to big and better things. His first year DADA teacher went on to become a senior advisor for the Aurors Office at the Ministry. His second year DADA teacher has gone on to write a series of successful books about self-defense. Last year, his DADA teacher went on to get married and requested a year long break to go on an extended honeymoon. With its reputation as a lucky position, the process to fill the vacant DADA job is competitive each year. Harry wonders if this new teacher is also perhaps hoping to move on beyond Hogwarts soon. Whatever his future plans may be, Harry thinks the new Professor should strongly consider getting a good wash through his black hair, which was looking rather greasy.

As he continues to scan through the teacher's table, consciously dreading the pile of homework he knows they will be assigning soon, he suddenly realizes that Headmaster is looking directly at him.

From a young age, Harry has been told by his parents and all the adults he know that the Headmaster at Hogwarts is the greatest wizard alive, and everyone knows the Headmaster is the only wizard that Voldemort fears. The Headmaster is the reason why children are able to come Hogwarts and feel safe. So even though the Headmaster was more likely to share a lemon drop than a glimpse of his immense power in front of the students, Harry knew enough to respect him greatly. Harry also knew enough to be slightly intimidated in his presence at times, even if he is Gryffindor.

This isn't only because he knows his Headmaster is a powerful wizard, but also because he has felt, since his first year, there were times when the Headmaster stares directly at him while he thinks Harry isn't aware. Harry isn't even sure how knows, but even with his back turned away from the teacher's table, sometimes he can just feel the Headmaster's eyes on him. However, when he turns around to look, he will also find the Headmaster apparently immersed in merry conversation with the other Professors.

So it was odd this time, as he looks into the eyes of his Headmaster, to see that the Headmaster is undeniably staring at him, and does not look away. Only after a few moments have passed does the Headmaster finally lean back into his chair to turn his attention to the food.

"Did you see that Ron?" Harry whispers.

"What mate?"

"The Headmaster was looking at me just now."

"Was he now? Is there some food on your face?"

Harry instinctively reaches his hands up to touch his face. No, there are no pieces of chicken or apparent crumbs there. Is there something in his teeth? He swishes his tongue over his whites quickly. No, doesn't seem so. He turns around to say something more to Ron, but Ron is newly engrossed in a piece of chicken that he has just grabbed off the platter. His fifth piece of chicken.

Perhaps it isn't so strange that the Headmaster was looking at him. After all, the Headmaster must look at something right? He couldn't be avoiding eye contact with all the students all the time.

With that peace of mind, Harry decides he should join Ron and grabs another piece of chicken from the platter.

* * *

Dumbledore looks at the raven headed boy as he talks and laughs with his classmates. His best friends, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger sit on either side of him as they join in the laughter.

Harry met his eyes earlier. Last year's Harry would have looked away quickly after a small smile if he saw the Headmaster looking at him. This year, Harry stared at him with curiosity. Perhaps he is not yet fully grown up, but he has grown. Dumbledore grasps at this little comfort as he tries to strengthen his resolve to do what he must.

As the feast draws to a close, and he bids the students well as they head off to bed. Dumbledore retreats to his office, and waits.

He does not have to wait long, for soon the visitor he was expecting uses the password he was given to enter Dumbledore's private realm.

"Headmaster…"

"It has been too long old friend."

"Indeed it has. But Headmaster, I am not here for pleasantries. You have kept me in the dark long enough. You beckoned for my help months ago, and it is with great risk that I am here now. I have worked for more than 15 years to get into his inner circle, remaining at a distance from…this…and yet, now of all times you called for me to appear."

"Was he suspicious?"

"I am uncertain. I took great pains to create the circumstances so that it appears to him that it is his idea I apply for the position, but…"

"But?"

"Smarter men than me have been caught and killed by the Dark Lord."

"What is done is done. We must believe that Voldemort believes you are here on his orders. To act as his spy at Hogwarts."

"What exactly am I to do here."

"You will be here to recruit for him. Recruit him a new Death Eater."

"You suspect a teacher here may be tempted by the Dark?"

"No." Dumbledore closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before. When they reopen, they are filled with pain, but also strong determination. "You are here to recruit a student."

Severus Snape has seen and heard many things in his life time. Frightful and horrific things. But never in his wildest nightmares did he expect to hear such terrible words from the mouth of the great Albus Dumbledore.


	3. Sorting through thoughts

It was a strange day in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Their new Professor has not arrived yet, and usually any unsupervised meeting of the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses meant a disaster. It typically begins with a trade in snide insults that ultimately always leads to a barrage of jinxes flying from both sides. Today, to the frustration of the Slytherins, their best insults to the other side of the aisle went completely ignored. The fourth year Gryffindors, having just come from their first History of Magic lesson of the year, are too busy chatting animatedly in their seats to notice. What an experience they just had with the new Professor Turatine! To discuss the great magic duel between Herpo the Foul and the White Witch, Professor Turatine used a rare giant penseive, one he managed to purchase during his travels to Greece, to enable the whole class to enter at once into the memory of muggle peasant who had observed the battle first hand. As Professor Turatine explained, Magic Historians participate in the thriving trade to collect memories from people who manage to observe important magical history events first hand. Professor Turatine has promised the class more viewings of famous magic battles, and he hinted to the class he might even have one between the Dark Wizard Grindelwald and their Headmaster.

The Gryffindors are so excitedly recounting each moment they experienced in the pensieve that they fail to notice the arrival of the new DADA Professor who strode quietly into the room from the door by the front of the room. The Slytherins do notice, and they all immediately sit straight in their seats. None of them know too much about their new DADA Professor, but it is always important to make a good first impression. It is especially important to make sure the new Professor notice the difference between them and the noisy bunch of Gryffindors across the aisle.

Severus Snape stands in front of the chalk board and looks with narrowed eyes to the class. He catches the smirk of the Slytherin students, and he knows they are eagerly awaiting whatever punishment this new Professor might bestow on that particular half of the class that was paying no attention to his arrival.

Severus Snape does not disappoint. With a quick wave of his wand and the quiet muttering of a spell, the room falls silent.

The Gryffindors turn around in their seats, eyes wide in shock and alarm, clutching their mouth. They can not speak. A silencing charm has been cast on them. Finally, only then, do they notice the imposing dark form of their Professor standing in front of the class.

"When I was a student here, we had respect for our teachers."

Snape draws himself from the front of room and begins to walk slowly down the aisle.

"When a teacher arrived in class, I stood up to greet the Professor."

Quickly, the Slytherins stand up from their chairs. In unison, they quick cite a proper greeting to their Professor.

Snape nods his acknowledgement, and then he and the Slytherins look over to the stunned and silent Gryffindors.

Slowly, one by one the Gryffindors stand up. Some meekly nod their head in recognition to their Professor, some others try to mouth words silently, while others stand up but not really knowing what else to do.

"So I see the Gryffindors fail to offer the courtesy to greet their Professor properly. 10 points off for each Gryffindor."

The Gryffindors eyes open in shock, some gesturing wildly in protest. It was not fair! They are silenced, they cannot speak. The Slytherins are grinning from ear to ear with glee, feeling vindicated that they were earlier ignored.

"Let that be a reminder to all of you how to show proper respect for your teachers from now. Now sit down."

Snape waved his wand once again and the silencing spell is quickly removed.

"That is bloody unfair!" Ron shouts loudly.

"We were silenced!" Harry protests.

"Ron! Harry!" Hermione hisses.

At the sound of that name, Snape turns his head slowly at the three students seated in the second row.

"I see we have three volunteers for my first lesson today. Or perhaps that was a request for another thirty points off for the Gryffindor House?"

Ron and Harry look ready to shout in protest, but a fierce glare from Hermione stops them in their tracks. She has already lost 10 points for their House, and she is not going to lose another 10 because they cannot keep their temper.

"We have an understanding then. Up to the front of the class." With a swish of his robes, he marched back to his desk.

Hermione leaps from her seat and follows him quickly to the front of the class with a rush in her steps. She is determined to excel in the first demonstration of the class, even if it was assigned as a punishment. Harry and Ron rise with more hesitation before joining their best friend in the front.

"I have looked at the curriculum of your previous instructors and it seems your education in this subject has been….lacking. Pixies, Vampires, Boggarts, do they really expect this is what Voldemort will unleash on you?"

The class gasps in shock as some students cringe to hear the name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

"Voldemort, if he doesn't kill you at first sight, is going to attack your greatest weakness and asset. Your mind. With Legilimency He will read your deepest darkest thoughts. He can find out all your secrets. You need to be trained on how to secure your mind from invasion. You will know when your mind is entered. What I will teach you is how to protect it. Our volunteers today will get a sense of what it is to have their minds invaded."

Harry hears Hermione gasp beside him. He sees several other students gasp as well.

"But Sir," whispered Parvati, "Isn't that an illegal spell to use on students?"

Snape narrows his eyes at her until she slinks down in her seat. He snarls, "If I only teach you about the legal spells, this wouldn't be a Defense Against the Dark Arts class, would it?"

Snape turns his attention to the students in front of him. It has been his intention to do this ever since his meeting with the Headmaster yesterday. The small uprising by the red headed boy and the brown haired girl managed to give him just the perfect excuse to single him out for the demonstration. He has been troubled every since his discussion with the Headmaster. He needed to know. He needed to understand. Why him? Why this boy? This was the only way.

"Legilimens"

Severus Snape plows into the mind of Harry Potter.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore is keeping busy in his office. It is standard that in the first week of school, he will receive an increase in owls. There are the general letters from parents who wish to express their concern about the progress of their child. Some of these letters sought advice for what they can do to help their child, and then there are those with thinly veiled suggestions that the Headmaster and the school might receive substantial financial contributions if their child is rewarded for academic excellence. Dumbledore always choose to write back courteously to these letters, all with the same response: The teachers at Hogwarts will work hard to instill the best magical education they have to offer. The parents can help just by being generally encouraging and attentive towards their children.

Dumbledore also receives letters with more personal requests, these typically arrive from parents who recently just sent their first child to Hogwarts. He picks up a particular letter from a set of parents who carefully detailed the nighttime ritual of their child. As he reads the contents, he chuckles to learn that the parents are particularly concerned that their child needs a nourishing glass of milk, reheated on the stove for exactly 2 minutes, each night before he goes to bed. He also requires to be tucked in properly, and the parents wondered if a teacher could perhaps kindly sing to him each night, as it was the only way he is able to fall asleep. Knowing this boy was sorted into Gryffindor, Dumbledore feels his heart lightened slightly as he tries to imagine Professor McGonagall responding to the request to sing an 11-year old child to sleep. He knows with a certainty that this child was in fact managing to sleep very well every night in his new surroundings in Hogwarts. This is due to the request of his roommates for a silencing charm to be cast on this particular student's bed at night as his snores were keeping everyone else awake.

He wishes all such letters from parents were as innocent and simply solved. On his desk sat another letter. It was from the parents of a student who was killed in the raid on Diagon Alley back in June. Their younger child, a third year student in Hogwarts, has written five letters to them since the start of school begging to be allowed to return home. She has not been able to accept the death of her older sister, and has not been adjusting well to the separation from her parents at school. Her parents write to Dumbledore seeking advice. What should they do? Should they let their younger daughter to return home temporarily until she gets better? Is she safe at Hogwarts?

Dumbledore sighs at the empty parchment before him as he struggles to write his reply. It is his duty, his burden, as Headmaster to always know the right answer. There is a need to show a strong front for parents and students. His own doubts about his abilities and decisions must always be hidden and shielded away. They are only permitted to reside in the dark recess of his mind, untouched by anyone else. It is a burden that has weighed heavily on Albus Dumbledore. More so in recent years than ever before.

His task is interrupted by the arrival of his visitor from the previous evening.

Severus Snape marches into the Headmaster's office, and before the latter has the chance to offer any greetings, Snape spats out, "There is nothing special about him."

Albus Dumbledore looks into the dark eyes of his trusted companion, and pauses for a moment before speaking.

"I have also been observing Mister Potter. From his birth, and more so since his arrival at Hogwarts. Yes, I concur, he has not displayed any extraordinary talents. He appears to be a student just slightly above average in his academic career, though I imagine his efforts have been aided greatly by his friendship with Miss Granger."

Dumbledore paused again and leans back on his chair, motioning to Snape, who stands before him, to take up a seat as well.

"But yet, it is a prophecy. It is a prophecy that perhaps I would not have given such serious consideration if I did not hear it with my own ears. It is a prophecy I would have liked to discard, if not for the state of the War that surrounds us. If we were still strong, if his power has weakened."

Dumbledore sighs.

"We are losing this War. You know this as well as I do. With each day, his power grows and ours weakens. If this continues, it will not be long before we fall to Voldemort."

Snape clenches his fists. He does know this. As a member of Voldemort's inner circle, he knows that the recruits have increased in number, and their strength has increased. However, he dared to hope that there were still many chances for a change, that there was still hope that something will happen that will tilt the scales to the Light once again.

As though reading his thoughts, Dumbledore says aloud "I believe Harry is our last hope."

* * *

Harry pokes at the chicken on his plate, lacking any appetite for food this evening. His experience earlier in the DADA class continues to trouble him greatly. He still feels great indignation that so many points were removed from the Gryffindors since they were all silenced, and the angry murmurs along the Gryffindor table that evening suggests that he was not alone in his anger. However, Harry was more troubled by the "demonstration" by Professor Snape. When the Professor performed Legilimency on him, he felt the Professor peer through every single one of his memories and thought. Harry feels a chill down his back just recalling the experience. The experience left him feeling completely exposed and vulnerable. After the class, he tried to talk to Hermione and Ron to see if they felt the same thing, but they seemed not wholly bothered by the experience. Ron shrugged and said he felt barely anything, and Hermione reported the same. When they asked if it was different for him, Harry did not feel like responding that he felt like his very soul was examined by the spell.

Harry glances up at the head table, and sees Professor Snape staring into his plate, apparently also not possessing a good appetite. Harry has always liked his Professors in school, even Professor Binns. Now, he finds a resentment towards his new DADA Professor growing within him.

Later in the evening, Harry walks silently through the halls of the castle, trying to sort out his thoughts.

Even after dinner, he continued to feel conflicted about the events earlier in the day. He found himself unable to concentrate on his studies and feltsuffocated by the people in the common room. To get out of their normally clad-in-stone study schedule, he told Hermione he wanted to head to the library to get additional reading. This is the only valid reason that Hermione would possibly accept, and she dids with a smile and an approving nod, happy that Harry seemed eager to extend his studies. Ron, however, knew Harry too well. He was pretty sure his best friend just wanted to break free from the study schedule, and so he tried to tell Hermione he too needed a book from the library. Unfortunately, Ron's eagerness to extend his studies was a bit too unbelievable for Hermione to accept.

Harry feels relieved that he managed to get free on his own. Though he imagine he can try to talk to his friends about it, he was still too confused and frustrated by his thoughts to explain it to himself, much less to someone else.

After an hour, Harry finally decides he has to go to the library to pick up a book to at least make his excuse seem believable. Just as he was turning the corner to head to the library, a tall figure steps into his path. Harry looks up, and quickly takes a small step back.

"Headmaster!"

The Headmaster smiles at the youth. "Mister Potter. Am I interrupting you in something?"

"Umm, I was just on my way to the library to take a book for my studies."

"How fascinating. For what class are you doing research for?"

Harry has never spoken to the Headmaster one-on-one before, much less in a situation where the two of them are alone without any possible distractions that can help to interrupt the conversation. Hermione hadn't asked what subject he was doing extra readings for, so Harry didn't have a ready answer for reply. He tries to think quickly to come up with an answer. "Potions?" He half answer.

Dumbledore smiles again, and Harry is feeling quite sure that the Headmaster sees through his response.

"Is your research quite urgent, or would you be available to walk with me to my office? I have been hoping for a chance to talk to you Mister Potter."

A slight panic grows in Harry's eyes and questions start to flood his mind. It isn't curfew yet, so his presence in the hall shouldn't be a cause for punishment, should it? He isn't doing anything suspicious is he? Why is he being asked to go to the Headmaster's office?

The Headmaster tries to calm his fears. "You are not in any trouble Mister Potter." Dumbledore feels that he is telling a lie as he said those words. "There is, however, a serious matter I wish to discuss with you. If you will, my office this way. He gestures to the right corridor and proceeds to take a few steps, before stopping and looking back, waiting for the still immobile Harry.

Harry takes a breath and steps forward to follow the Headmaster.

How much more can go wrong today, he wonders.


	4. The end and the start of everything

From his years of acquaintanceship with the Headmaster, Severus Snape recognizes that it must have taken great personal strength for Dumbledore to admit they are fighting a losing battle. The Headmaster has fought against impossible battles in his lifetime and never before has he ever acknowledged the possibility of defeat. When all others despaired, it was Dumbledore who stood firm as a pillar of strength that others would gather towards. He never showed weakness. Never showed doubt. If Dumbledore believed that they will win, then people were willing to believe it as well. If Dumbledore believed they will lose, then the entire wizarding community will crumble.

What Dumbledore admitted to him would have sent stronger men into hysterics. Not Severus Snape. He has known they were losing for years. It was him who informed Dumbledore of the Dark Lord's increasing power. Dumbledore knows everything that he knows.

He stands corrected, Dumbledore does not know everything that he knows.

And this is why he hesitates in the plans for the boy.

Just one boy. Just sacrifice one boy and the entire wizarding world may be saved. Severus was used to making difficult decisions. He has tortured and even killed lives to fulfill his façade as a Death Eater. It is precisely his knowledge of what it takes to be a Death Eater, to successfully pull off this façade, that he does not want to participate in what Dumbledore has asked him to do.

He has lost his soul by being a member of the Death Eater. Not matter how noble his task, no matter how right the reason may be, no matter how he hard he tries to only harm those who are not wholly innocent, it does not stop the screams he hears in his mind whenever his mental walls are weakened slightly.

He himself became a Death Eater when he was 22, at the request of Dumbledore to become a spy for the Order. During his first year as a Death Eater, his mind was invaded daily by the Dark Lord, standard practice as the Dark Lord demanded that they hide nothing from him. There were night raids on muggle villages, where he had to demonstrate his repulsion for muggles by committing acts of torture. He wanted to quit, flee, but he felt immense pressure to remain, to successfully complete what was requested of him by Dumbledore. Many a times, he contemplated killing himself to free himself from the nightmare of being a Death Eater.

How is he expected to throw a 14-year-old child into it all when he knows child could never survive what he has.

He hesitates to make the sacrifice even if he is the son of James Potter.

Snape feels compelled to spit out the name, even if he is just thinking it in his head. His hatred for James Potter has persisted since their days in school. Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew, the Marauders who filled his days at Hogwarts with misery.

He often dreamed about taking revenge on them some day.

Throwing Potter's precious first-born into the clutches of the Dark Lord seems appropriate enough.

But not even his worst memory from school compares to the terror of being a Death Eater.

No, Severus Snape will not willingly throw a hapless boy into hell for the crimes of his Father, but he will for a greater good. Dumbledore is correct. The prophecy and the boy is the Light's last hope. He hates the task, he hates what his role will be, but it has to be done.

A sneer grows on his face. Since it has to be done anyway, there will be room to take some revenge for the misery of his school days.

It will help toughen the boy out for what he will have to face.

****

Harry sits numbed in front of the crackling fire. He has not moved from the large chair in twenty minutes, trying to absorb all that the Headmaster has told him.

Finally, Harry speaks.

"I thought Divination was all fake."

Albus stops his tendering of Fawkes, feeling slightly relieved that Harry has finally spoken.

He was very vocal early on, asking questions and demanding answers on the specifics of the prophecy. He seemed to think it was a joke when Albus revealed that it was Professor Trelawney who made the prophecy, and it took a while to convince Harry that despite her teachings, she was a real Seer. His own conviction in the truth of the prophecy eventually managed to convince Harry that the prophecy was true.

"She did say I was going to die young quite a few times, but she predicted the early death of everyone else in class, so we always just made fun of it," said Harry, laughing strangely, "I did not know she was right all along. We are all going to die."

Albus sighs. "That is not what the prophecy says Mister Potter. It says you have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord."

Harry looks to the Headmaster. He demanded to hear the prophecy over and over again so that now he knew it by heart. "Neither can live while the other one survives." Harry's eyes falls to the ground. "I don't even know any dark curses, he can kill me without blinking."

Albus looks to the boy. "Dark curses are no more stronger than ones that are Light."

Harry begs to differ, but he has others things on his mind. He has just been told a prophecy was made to make him the wizarding world's only hope against Vodemort. "We're doomed," Harry whispers.

"There is a second part to the prophecy Mister Potter. This is the reason you are here today." Albus takes a deep breath and then recites with perfect clarity:

_Let Light be embraced by the Dark_

_Let Light dwell in the depths of darkness._

_Let Light hide in the shadows._

_From hence Light will grow._

_From behind Light will rise._

Albus looks down to the teenager before him. "Do you understand what this means Mister Potter?" He stares intently into the eyes of the boy. Willing him to concentrate, to uncover the meaning in the words of the prophecy himself.

"Aren't those the words from a Weird Sister song?" asked Harry.

Albus smiles with his eyes before speaking, "they do indeed resemble the Weird Sister's _The Darkness In My Heart_, but not quite. Please think harder Mister Potter."

Harry tries to clear his mind of all the other screaming thoughts to do what Professor Dumbledore is asking of him. If only Hermione was here. She loves to solve riddles such as these. Harry was just about to volunteer to get Hermione when it dawns on him that Dumbledore already knows the answer. He just wants Harry to figure it out on his own.

The fog slowly starts to clear. Slowly but surely, Harry begins to understand why Dumbledore is standing so gravely before him. It is not because Dumbledore has to let Harry know he will die young. Well, actually, that could still very well happen. But no, it is much worse.

"You need me to become a Death Eater."

Dumbledore stares intensely into Harry's eyes and nods once.

From that night on, Harry's life would never be the same again.


End file.
